GOOD president Patricia de Lille said on Sunday her party would contest the upcoming local government elections in five provinces.
Speaking at the party’s manifesto launch and the introduction of some mayoral candidates, De Lille said her party would put up candidates in 45 municipalities, six metros and 1 000 wards.
She noted, however, that GOOD, which contested the 2019 general elections and some wards since its formation, was a young political party that was growing.
“We just had to cut our cloth according to our size. Rather grow slowly with quality people, than want to grow fast with not-so-good... people.”
De Lille said they were participating in the municipal elections to win and hoped to garner between 25 and 30% of votes in the metros.
“We are busy on the ground using the voters’ roll to canvass supporters,” she said.
De Lille said her party would carry on its fight to stop corruption, whether it was in government or on the opposition benches.
“It’s important to be able to distinguish between being a constructive opposition politician and discarding one’s principles,” she said.
“Corruption steals from the poor, and I have spent my life fighting it. I’m not stopping now,” she said.
De Lille also said they were asking the voters to lend GOOD their votes.
She said their manifesto was unashamedly developmental and pro-poor.
“But we aren’t comic-book revolutionaries.”
She said her party would skew town and city resources towards servicing the needs of the people with the greatest need.
“At the same time, we will create better conditions for businesses, large and small, to feel comfortable, to thrive and to create jobs.
“It’s a balance that the old parties have never achieved. The balance that can pivot us to safety from the cliffs of inequality and the depths of poverty.”
De Lille also said her party would deliver more housing, faster and in better locations.
“We also need solutions for families living on land in informal settlements – communities living together for decades, where many are employed and do not qualify for state housing.”
De Lille said her party would integrate public transport systems under a single transport authority, and would offer free off-peak public transport to anyone.
She also said GOOD governments would drive a “New Deal” linking services, jobs and infrastructure development.
“We will invest in infrastructure-led job creation, in labour-intensive projects to maintain the services that are working and expand them to communities that are still waiting for them.
“In addition, we will prioritise spending to support SMMEs, and provide premises for informal traders.”
De Lille also said GOOD-led councils would be transparent and open to the public.
“Contract awards, amounts and timelines will be published and communities will know who got what – and where and when the work is happening.”
She also said local government should take more responsibility for creating conditions that address the root causes of crime and anti-social behaviour.
“If we want to reduce crime, we have to stop it before it happens. That means we have to fight poverty, fight unemployment, fight hunger, fight drugs and gangsterism – we have to fight to make our neighbourhoods good.”
She also said GOOD would install and maintain the necessary basic infrastructure, and the level of service provision.
Remarking on the GOOD mayoral candidates, De Lille said they were genuine community-based representatives.
The party’s chairperson, Sam Shabane, named mayoral candidates for eight municipalities.
GOOD is fielding former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers as its mayoral candidate in Drakenstein Municipality, Sarah Mabotsa in Tshwane, Lawrence Troon in Nelson Mandela Metro, and Llyoyd Phillips in Johannesburg.
Other mayoral candidates are Ryan Don in Saldanha Bay, Donovan Saptoe in George, Elizabeth Johnson in Kimberley, and Shariefa Essop in Beaufort West.
Political Bureau